Plant Physiology
Overview
Programs in plant physiology focus on the life cycles and processes of plants.Plant physiology programs include topics such as:
- Cell and molecular plant biology
- Plant nutrition and growth
- Photosynthesis
- Plant respiration
- Plant behavior, reproduction, and interaction with environment
- Ecology
Schools
Community colleges and other two-year schools offer associate degree programs in plant physiology. An associate degree usually takes two years to complete. After earning an associate degree students can transfer to a college or university for further study.
Very few colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in plant physiology. A bachelor's degree usually takes about four years of full-time study.
Very few universities offer graduate degrees in plant physiology. A master's degree typically requires two years of study beyond a bachelor's degree. Doctoral (PhD) degree programs usually require two or more years of study beyond the master's degree. In some schools this is offered as an interdepartmental program.
See schools that offer this program.
Related Educational Programs
- Agroecology and Sustainable Agriculture
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Botany
- Cell Biology
- Conservation Biology
- Environmental Biology
- Horticultural Science
- Molecular Biology
- Physiology
- Plant Pathology
- Plant Science
Related Careers
Careers Directly Related to this Program of Study
Other Careers Related to this Program of Study
Program Admission
You can prepare for this program by taking courses in high school that prepare you for college. This typically includes four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies, and two years of science. Some colleges also require two years of a second language.
Below is a list of high school courses that will help prepare you for this program of study:
- Advanced Biology courses
- Biology
- Chemistry
- English Composition
- Physics
- Pre-Calculus
Graduate Admissions
Admission to graduate programs is competitive. You need a bachelor's degree (usually in biology, chemistry, or biochemistry), good grades, and good test scores.
Additional requirements at some schools include:
- Graduate Record Exam (GRE) General
- Letters of recommendation
Typical Course Work
Graduate Program Courses
A graduate program in plant physiology typically includes courses such as the following:
- Biochemistry
- Crop Physiology and Management
- Experimental Techniques in Eukaryotic Molecular Biology
- Plant Biochemistry
- Plant Growth Regulation
- Plant Metabolism
- Statistical Inference in Applied Research
In addition, graduate programs typically require the following:
- Thesis (master's degree)
- Preliminary exams (doctoral degree only)
- Dissertation and dissertation defense (doctoral degree)
You may be required to teach biology to undergraduates.
Schools
East Side Area
Washington State University - Pullman
- Molecular Plant Sciences
King-Snohomish Area
University of Washington - Seattle
- Plant Biology